A seated man asleep, with a bottle in his lap

Over the course of its known history, this small, intriguing panel has been associated with a number of Dutch seventeenth-century artists. It was once given to the Leiden-born Gabriel Metsu, who also worked in Amsterdam, and more recently to Rotterdam's Abraham Diepraam. Parallels have also been drawn with the Fleming David Rijckaert III. Perhaps most convincing, however, are the similarities with the work of Jan Steen, who was best known for his raucous multi-figured scenes of drinking and celebration, but did on occasion paint smaller, quieter compositions like that of the present work.